Arizona weekly enterprise., 1887-09-17
LIMITS OF HUMAN LIFE.
How It May Re Prolonged Beyond the
 Average Length-Centenarians

How It May Re Prolonged Beyond the
 Average Length-Centenarians.
 have before me the records of no less than fifty-two centenarians, the details in regard to whom have been collected by a committee of the British Medical associ- ation. Let us see whether an inquiry into these details suggests anything either ss to what are, probably, the natural limits of human life, or as to the regimen by which life may be prolonged beyond it's average length.
 Of the fifty-two no fewer than thirty six tmore than two-thirds) are women This may probably be attributed in large part to the comparative immunity that women enjoy from many risks to which men are exposed, but probably it is due not less to their greater temperance and to their freedom from the anxieties and heartburnings which attend mems strug- gles for influence, and even maintenance. Medical men contend, however, that women also possess greater inherent vital ity than men, the mortality of girls being less than that of boys, even during the first year of life, when the female Is neither more temperate nor less ambi- tious than the male, and is exposed to as many dangers.
 Of the sixteen men one only was single; ten of the thirty-six women were single; fifteen men and twenty-six women, then, among the centenarians, were married; but, naturally enough, of these forty-one large number, all in fact but i've, were widowed. Three of the fifty-two were. rich, nineteen poor, the rest in comfort able circumstances, nine were fat tonly one man), twenty-three lean, eighteen medium; only eight were full blooded; the rest average or pale. Forty had good digestion, which, after 100 years, means e good deal. Most of the fifty-two have had good appetites, only two having appetites chased as actually bad; most of them have been through life moderate eaters; twelve, however, have eaten large quantities of food. Only one is returned as a large eater of flesh and blood, and only one as & | great consumer of alcoholic liquors dn his case the liquor preferred has been beer. | Only eight of all the number are classified as simply 'irritable;,' but to these must | be added five chased as Irritable and energetic"
 Unfortunately, however, the inquiries have not in such matters as these been ex- l tended into the past. A man or woman | may be very irritable in extreme old age tand we may call 100 a good old | age, even here when I am striving to show that it is the natural limit of life) who has been very placid and even extremely ami able throughout the greater part of his or her career.
 AS to smoking, thirty-two are non- smoking, seventeen smoke much -four oi them are women), three moderately, and two little; only one chews; thirty seven avoid snuff. Most Of the remaining re turns, relating only to the actual condi tion of the fifty-two centenarians, ct pres l ent, are of no special interest," showing | only that the same weaknesses prevail fl
 about the same degree among them, a. | many men and women of the averag, sort, between 70 and 30 years old. |
 only our fifty two centenarians could hay,
 been examined twenty years ago in thes | respects, the world might have obtained
 some useful hints. It is worthy of notice
 however, that most of them were ire,
 from rheumatic and gouty troubles. Tn,
 only man whose joints were stiff ana
 defOrmed from such causes stated, il
 reply to questions as to his capacit,
 and taste for strong drink, II alway
 drank as liuch as could, and alway
 will''-not case, it will be observed, O
 s.Willful will to water so Willful mus
 wet" but of Willful would not to wate
 and so wet his whistle to his own discom
 fort.-Richard A. Proctor in The Cosmo
 politan,